Wildcats step up in other areas

QB Matt Scott celebrates with fans after his stellar effort in the UA's win Saturday. Will he get a chance to do the same against UCLA?

Matt Scott wasn't just acting the part of starting quarterback
when, in the minutes following Saturday's 44-14 win over
Washington, he praised his Arizona Wildcats teammates for getting
the job done.

The UA (6-1 overall, 3-1 Pac-10) played arguably its most
balanced game of the season after an uneven few weeks that slowed
their ascent to the top 10 in the national polls. The Wildcats
offense put up 467 yards in the rout over the Huskies - 234 on the
ground and 233 through the air. The Wildcats defense was stellar
against the pass, two weeks after getting torched by Oregon State
and its first-year starting quarterback, Ryan Katz.

Even Arizona's special teams, so up-and-down through the first
half of the season, showed up in full force.

"This certainly was a good overall team win for us," coach Mike
Stoops said. "We had a great week of preparation."

Saturday's win was about much more than the quarterback. Here
are three position groups that stood out:

Running backs

What they did: Keola Antolin and Nicolas Grigsby combined to
gain 164 yards and score four touchdowns against a Washington
defense that allows more than 200 rushing yards per game. Antolin's
78-yard run was a game-breaker, giving the UA a 24-14 lead in the
second quarter.

Unsung hero: Antolin. The hard-charging junior has quietly
established himself as the Wildcats' No. 1 tailback in the last two
weeks. Coaches love his ability to hit holes and absorb contact. On
Saturday, he averaged 8.1 yards per carry.

He said it: "It was the most complete game we've had." -
Antolin

Offensive line

What they did: The Wildcats' five starters did a good job of
protecting Scott in his first start of the year, limiting
Washington's defense to just two sacks. Arizona quarterbacks were
taken down six times in the previous week's 24-7 win over
Washington State.

Unsung hero: Jovon Hayes. The UA's fill-in right guard recovered
from a dreadful game against Washington State. In part because of
his efforts, the Wildcats were able to get good "surge" over the
right side.

He said it: "We challenged the offensive line to be more
physical, to protect the quarterback. Everybody really responded
positively this week." - coach Mike Stoops

Defensive line

What they did: Arizona's defensive front dominated Washington's
offensive line, combining for 22 tackles, three sacks and a fumble
recovery while limiting quarterback Jake Locker's ability to run.
Battling a rib injury that limited his mobility all night, the
Huskies' speedy senior sneaked the ball just twice.